A 21-year-old man has been jailed for 20 years after raping his eight-year-old niece, whom he lured to a terrace while she was playing, in Agra, India. The special court convicted him on Monday, October 19, and imposed a fine of 30,000 rupees (£240).
Attack and evidence
The girl, who was in Year 3 at the time, was playing when her uncle lured her to the terrace and sexually assaulted her, according to the prosecution. She suffered severe bleeding shortly after the incident, and her health began to deteriorate.
Despite her young age, the girl gave evidence against her uncle during the trial and identified him in court. Her testimony came despite death threats allegedly made against her mother in an attempt to intimidate the family.
Investigation and trial
The accused was 19 at the time of the attack and lived in the same neighbourhood as the child. He denied the allegations in court, claiming he had been falsely accused.
The case was reported to police by the girl's father, prompting an investigation under India's Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The man was arrested on August 28, 2024, and has remained in custody since. Police filed a chargesheet in October that year.
Sentencing and wider context
Special court judge Kundan Kishor considered the girl's testimony alongside other evidence and witness statements before finding the man guilty. He was sentenced to 20 years' rigorous imprisonment and ordered to pay a fine of 30,000 rupees (£240).
The case comes amid continuing concerns over sexual violence in India, where 29,536 rape cases were reported in 2024, according to figures from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), an average of more than 80 a day. However, the official figures are not believed to reflect the full scale of the problem, as many assaults go unreported due to stigma, fear of reprisals and pressure from families or communities. Cases involving children are also a major concern, with India's POCSO Act providing a legal framework for prosecuting sexual offences against anyone under 18.
